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CHASING 221 – EARLY GOAL REACHED, EURICO HAS 200 WINS

Eurico Rosa da Silva won 2 of his 7 mounts at Woodbine on Saturday as horses and riders tries to conquer what was  a strong track bias to horses on or very near the pace.

The rider has hit his first goal of winning 200 races this season and he is 21 away from equaling the record of most wins at a Woodbine meet by a jockey (se by Mickey Walls in 1991). Walls set the record in either 136 or 141 days (records from Equibase and Woodbine media differ).

Eurico has won 200 races in  100 days. (He missed the first 6 cards of racing) and we are on Day 117 today.

Here are his mounts today:

2 Maiden Special Weight TB Glittering Snow Kevin Attard
3 Claiming TB Brews Toonie Toss Norman McKnight
4 Claiming TB Court Battle Norman McKnight
7 Claiming TB Rocket Plan Katerina Vassilieva
8 Coronation Futurity TB Avie’s Flatter Josie Carroll
9 Maiden Optional Claiming TB Wolf Ridge Andrew Smith
10 Allowance Optional Claiming TB Not So Quiet William Tharrenos

 

CORONATION FUTURITY PREVIEW

Winner could be a major Queen’s Plate contender 2019

 

The 115th running of the famous CORONATION FUTURITY is scheduled for Sunday at Woodbine with a few of the top Canadian-bred juveniles.

The 2yo races this fall have had small fields (Ontario sired South Ocean Stakes Saturday has 5 entrants) and the Coronation has just 7 entrants including 3 maidens.

However, even with the small field there is plenty of intrigue. Two American riders are scheduled to come into town for the race including one of the world’s top jockeys, JOHN VELASQUEZ.

Velasquez is coming in for trainer Mike Maker to ride the maiden TRIPWIRE, bred by Karen and Bernard McCormack. This is the same trainer, breeder and owner (Ken and Sarah Ramsey) combo that won the Queen’s Plate 2 years ago with Sir Dudley Digges.

It remains to be seen if Tripwire, a son of Flashback, is Plate material but in 2 career races he just missed winning his debut and then was 2nd beaten just half a length against American-breds in the Grade 3 Grey Stakes.

Tripewire is one of 4 horses in the 7 horse field who had Eurico da Silva riding in the most recent race. Da Silva will be on likely favourite AVIE’S FLATTER, yet another hotshot youngster for Ivan Dalos and trainer Josie Carroll. Every year Dalos has a nice prospect with eyes on the Queen’s Plate. this bay colt by Flatter romped on soft grass in the Cup & Saucer when adding Lasix. He beat the filly Bold Script who came back to win a stakes race.

Qatar Racing’s FEDERAL LAW is a fascinating fellow in the race. Bred by the late Mel Lawson and bought for $220,000 at the Keeneland Sept. yearling sale last fall, the bay gelding by Scat Daddy began his career in England. He won his maiden on grass and was 2nd in a listed race on an all-weather surface at Chelmsford.

The gelding came to town for the Grade 1 Summer Stakes on turf, added Lasix but was 11th beaten 16 lengths. He came back on Nov. 4 for a main track allowance race where he was even money and he romped.

David Cohen, winner of 1,300 races and in the midst of a stirring comeback year in New York with 102 wins, comes in for trainer Mark Casse.

York Tech Stables’ D MAGICIAN is a longshot special as he comes off an impressive maiden win in a turf sprint. Bred by Rafaela DiPaola and trained by her son Santino DiPaola for the family’s farm, this homebred colt is closely related to American Pharoah.

The Carmen DiPaola family’s biggest win as owners came in 1982 with Lord Elgin who won the Niahara Handicap (now the Northern Dancer Stakes).

Another Coronation winner races today – DECISION DAY is in for $10,000 claiming four  years after his big win.

Winners of the Coronation Futurity this ‘Century’

2017 Aheadbyacentury Rafael Hernandez John Ross Jacks of Hearts Racing/J.R. Racing 1:51:02
2016 King and His Court Gary Boulanger Mark Casse Gary Barber/Wachtel Stable 1:50.76
2015 Shakhimat Emma-Jayne Wilson Roger L. Attfield Dan Gale 1:51.10
2014 Decision Day Jesse M. Campbell Josie Carroll Donver Stable 1:52.50
2013 Asserting Bear James McAleney Reade Baker Bear Stables 1:50.96
2012 Up With the Birds Eurico Rosa da Silva Malcolm Pierce Sam-Son Farms 1:51.13
2011 Martimer Luis Contreras Sid C. Attard Norseman Racing Stable 1:50.91
2010 Strike Oil Luis Contreras Mark E. Casse John C. Oxley 1:52.10
2009 Hollinger Tyler Pizarro Roger Attfield Bob Harvey & Al Wortzman 1:51.55
2008 Active Duty Corey Fraser Mark E. Casse Woodford Racing LLC 1:52.01
2007 Kesagami Patrick Husbands Sid C. Attard Jim Dandy Stable 1:53.40
2006 Leonnatus Anteas Jono Jones Kevin Attard Knob Hill Stable 1:55.97
2005 Thinking Out Loud Todd Kabel David R. Bell D. Morgan Firestone 1:54.84
2004 Ablo Gerry Olguin Roger Attfield Attfield/Canino/Werner 1:55.24
2003 A Bit O’Gold Jono Jones Catherine Day Phillips The Two Bit Racing Stable 1:54.15
2002 Arco’s Gold * Constant Montpellier John A. Ross Steven & Alex DiIorio 1:53.75
2001 Streakin Rob Gary Boulanger James E. Day Cudney Stables/Allan Kent 1:53.63
2000 Highland Legacy Emile Ramsammy Steve Owens Empress Stable 1:54.20

NORM MCKNIGHT ZEROING IN ON MARK CASSE RECORD

Trainer Norm McKnight and his team sent out 4 winners on Saturday’s card of racing

McKnight now has 112 wins this season, a lifetime best for the Streetsville, ON resident and he is 14 wins ahead of Mark Casse.

He is winning at 34%.

In addition, Casse’s modern day record of 119 wins in one Woodbine meeting seems to be reachable by McKnight. He has horses in 5 races this afternoon.

 

Norman McKnight      331 — 112 66 45 $2,866,788 34% 67%

Mark E. Casse             475 — 98 69 66 $5,171,391 21% 49%

Kevin Attard              243 — 41 40 26 $1,620,511 17% 44%

Jim Ensom                207 — 38 42 28 $1,061,242 18% 52%

Robert P. Tiller 193 — 37 24 28 $1,378,879

 

NANCY GUEST wins SECOND CAREER STAKES RACE

Saturday’s featured race at Woodbine was the 1 1/16 mile South Ocean Stakes for 2-year-old, Ontario sired. Maiden PREFERRED GUEST worked hard to get past favoured Notice Me (Court Vision) to win the $100,000 event in her fourth career start.

A $52,000 yearling purchase by Guest at last year’s CTHS Ontario yearling sale, the daughter of Society’s Chairman – For Gillian by Gold Fever was bred by Billee Steinhoff, Tom Rupert and John Felker.

The filly is trained by Mark Casse and was ridden by Jerome Lermyte. The time of 1:46.10 was translated into a 56 Beyer Speed Figure.

“We are so thrilled,” said Guest, who was winning her second stakes race in 21 years of horse ownership. Her colt Honorable Guest won the Frost King Stakes in 2012.

“There were a few nail biting strides for me…when she went to the front, I thought oh, oh,  but Mark and his team have done an amazing job training her and Jerome’s ride was awesome. My baby doll is a champ! Her hard work along with Mark his outstanding team and Jerome is what got us here. We are just the proud owners and so grateful to be just that.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UPDATE: TURF RACING CANCELLED FOR REMAINDER OF 2018

A lot of rain in October and snow and sold temperatures in the past week has led to the decision to cancel turf racing for the remainder of the 2018 Woodbine season.

A protest by some of the Woodbine jockeys on Wed.night, which led to the cancellation of race 1 (the race is being run today) led to discussions with Woodbine management and the HBPA. Some races were carded for grass through Dec. 2.

Woodbine’s media office noted that there was grass racing through Nov. 24 last season and there were also a handful of turf races in November in 2016. However the turf course was used a lot this season and with the tough weather conditions, it was agreed that grass racing come to an end.

Next year, the 2nd turf course, installed this summer on the Standardbred track (which replaced the original grass course at Woodbine) will join the main turf to provide a lot of turf opportunities for horsepeople and horses.

 

Woodbine release:

In consideration of the ongoing poor weather conditions noted in the 14-day forecast, and to enable our loyal horse people to finalize their plans, Woodbine Entertainment announced today that all remaining races scheduled for turf in the 2018 season will be shifted to the main track and run on Tapeta.

As previously stated, Woodbine Management has continued to closely monitor all factors and conditions associated with running thoroughbred races on both Tapeta and turf racing surfaces.

Earlier in the week, Woodbine Entertainment made the decision to cancel turf racing scheduled for ‪Friday, November 16 to Sunday, November 18, shifting those races to the main track on Tapeta.

Despite unseasonable cold temperatures and snow in Toronto on Thursday, highly experienced Woodbine Track Surfaces team had the Tapeta track race ready in time for our ‪1 p.m. Friday post time.

Woodbine Entertainment received a note of appreciation from Sue Leslie, President of the HBPA, stating, “Irwin Driedger and the Woodbine track surface team did a great job preparing the main track today after the snowfall. On behalf of the horse people, please extend our thanks to Irwin and his team for enabling today’s racing card.”

Furthermore, Woodbine Thoroughbred Racing executives continually review a suite of environmental and race day factors that assist in determining the suitability and safety of carding races on either the Tapeta or turf surfaces.

Woodbine Entertainment strives to deliver decisions within a time frame that supports the operating needs of our horse people including the paramount consideration of the safety of our riders, drivers and horses.